Baby walker



G. F. BLAKE Oct. 10, 1944.

BABY-WALKER Filed Aug. 12, 19.45 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 m. .Mm v IMM. W111i.- 1 "lll .11.1 ,.Y 4 LU 4 1 xm m a llid y J w/ 4 0 Hl l IV W. E ,T f IWI: TN, |1 M 2 .J .d 1 ml il INVENTOR.-

Oct. 10, 1944. v F. BLAKE 2,359,965

BABY-WALKER Fil'ed Aug. 11?.,y 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IN VEN TOR.

TOA/EX Patented Oct. 10, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to a baby-walker, that is, to a carriage or movable frame adapted to support the body of a small child and to be driven by pace-like movements of the childs feet on the floor.

An object of my invention is a baby-walker which can be transformed or folded into a at shape for easy shipment, hand transportation or storage.

Other objects are to provide a baby-walker with a back and a front rest, with a horizontal seat situated between said rests and having lateral edges adapted for the passage of the babys legs, to make said back and said front rest turnable into a flat position parallel to the seat, and to provide means to safely secure the back and the front rest when they are in the position of use, and so that they cannot be dislocated by the child.

Further objects are to provide a collapsible frame for the baby walker, to provide means to fold -said frame into a 'flat condition coinciding ysubstantially with the plane of the seat, to provide means to secure said frame in the condition of use, and to use for the latter purpose the back and front rest by providing engagement between these parts and upper side bars of the frame.

Still further objects are to provide detachable feet adapted to allow easy movement of the device in any direction, to make the entire device from wood, to provide a structure which avoids any possibility of the childs being hurt, and to obtain all mentioned objects by simple, inexpensive and reliable means.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an exemplifying embodiment of my invention, from the appended claims, and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a view, seen from above, of an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal side view of the same embodiment, the feet'I being shown in another position;

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the same embodiment, seen from the right side in Fig. 1 or 2, the feet being removed;

Fig. 4 shows a View of the same embodiment in folded condition and seen from the same side as in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 shows a view of the same embodiment in folded condition, seen from the upper side as in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, numeral I indicates a central beam or bar having two cylindrical ends shown in dotted lines. Two crossing bars 2, 3, respectively 4, 5 are pivotally mounted on each of said ends of I. A longitudinal rod or bar B, preferably with rounded edges, has ends affixed to the upper ends of one left crossing bar 2 and of one right crossing bar 4. Another similar bar 'I runs similarly from the upper end of the bar 3 to the upper end of the bar 5. The lower ends of the bars 2 and 4 are affixed to a longitudinal bar or ledge 8, and the lower ends of 3 and 5 are ai-Xed to a similar ledge 9. Thereby two rectangles or frames 2, 6, 4, 8 and 3, 1, 5, 9 are formed which are foldable around the axis of the beam I.

A horizontal seat or board IIJ comprising a broader main part and a narrower part II is mounted on the median part of I. Brackets I2 and I3 are also ailixed to I, each abutting another end of the seat and extending somewhat higher' than the seat.

A back rest I4 is pivoted on the bracket I2 and can be turned, when not locked, from the vertil y cal position shown in Figs, l, 2 and 3 in the direction of the arrow IB (Fig. 2) into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 5 where the back I4 is parallel and adjacent to the seat I0. Another vertical wall or a front rest I5 is similarly pivoted on the bracket I3 and correspondingly turnable in the direction of the arrow I1 from the vertical position shown in Figs. 1, Zand 3 into the horizontal position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Each of the parts I4 and I5 has two recesses I8 which are so shaped and positioned that each of said two parts engages the bar 6 with the one recess I8, and the bar 1 with the other recess I8 in the vertical position of the part. Two holes I9 may pass through the back rest I4 and may be used to fasten a belt or the like.v

TWO stops 20, 2l are symmetrically arranged and pivoted on horizontal axles 22 passing through the beam I. In the position shown in Figs. 1 andl 2, the stop 20 abuts the back rest I4 and locks the same in the vertical position, and the stop 2| locks the front rest I5 similarly. When the stops 20 and 2| are turned up in the direction of the arrows 23 and 24 (Fig. 2), the parts I4 and I5 are free to be turned in the direction of the arrows I6 and I1 whereby these latter parts cease to engage the bars 6 and 1 and the frame becomes free to be folded in the direction of the arrows 25 (Fig. 3).

The four feet of the device which are shown in Fig. 1 in an oblique position, in Fig. 2 in a different position, and which are omitted in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, comprise rollers or wheels 26 mounted rotatably on axles 21 which are carried by forked ends of horizontal rods 28. The other end of each rod 28 is rotatable around a vertical axle 29 having an upper end passing through a hole near an end of one of the ledges 8 or 9 and secured to the respective ledge by a removable pin 30. A cylindrical body 3| having a suitable bore for the passage of the axle 29 is interposed between the ledge Aand the rodr28. The parts 3I and 28 are prevented from falling from the axle 29 by'a pin 32 passing through the lower end of the axle 28, the lower end of the bore in the rod 28 having a circular recess accommodating the projecting ends of the pin 32.

In order to prepare the baby-walker for use, the crossing bars 2 and 3, respectively 4 and 5, are spread into the position shown in Fig. 3, and the central beam I is so turned that its upper side is horizontal. Then, the rests I4 andY I5 are turned vertically whereby the latter engage and support the bars 6 and 1. Finally, the stops 20 and 2I are turned down whereby the rests I4 and I5, the bars 6 and 1 and the entire v.frames are rmly locked in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the device is ready for use. The locking stops 20 and '2| are protected from the child by the rests I4 and I5,'who will not be able to lift the said stops so as to cause the frame to collapse.

When the baby-walker is driven, the feet accommodate themselves to the direction vof the drive automatically, each wheel 26 following the respective axle 29 so that the device can roll in any desired straight or curved direction.

In order to bring the deviceinto a flat condition adapted for transportationor storage, the

stops 20 and.V 2| are turned up andthe rests I4` and I are turned down as described before, and the frames are folded as far as possible into a position which is almost completely reached in I5 are at the lower side if such `further reduction V of height should be desirable.

I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to the particularform and use shown and described, and that the .invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention, as it is obvious that the embodiment shown and described is'onlyf one of the many that can be employed to obtai the objects of my invention.Y Having described the nature of my inventio and how it operateswhich I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: Y 1. A baby-walker comprising a central beam; two frames, each having two bars crossing the the lower ends of said crossing bars; a seat mounted on said beam; a rest or wall pivotally mounted on said beam and having recesses engaging said upper bars of said frames when turned into vertical position; and means to lock said rest in vertical position.

2. A baby walker comprising a central beam; two frames, each having two bars crossing the axis of said. beam and, being turnable around said axis, and an upper bar connecting the upper ends of said crossing bars; a seat mounted on said beam; a back and iront rest, each of which is turnable, mounted on said beam and has recesses engaging said upper bars of said frames when turned into vertical position; and means to lock said back and said front rest in vertical position.

3. A baby walker comprising a central beam; two frames, each having two bars crossing the axis of said beam-and being turnable around said axis, an upper bar connecting the upper ends of said crossing bars, and a ledge connecting the lower ends ofl said crossing bars; a seat mounted on said beam; a rest or wall turnably mounted on said beam and having recesses engaging said upper barwhen turned into vertical position, and a stop turnably mounted on said beam abutting and thereby locking said rest when said rest is in vertically turned position and said stop is in horizontally turned position, and permitting the free turning movement of saidrest when said stop is lifted from said horizontalv position.`

4. A baby walker comprising a central beam; two frames, each having two bars crossing the axis of said beam and being turnable around said axis, an upper bar connecting the upper ends of said crossing bars,r and a ledge connecting the lower ends of said crossing bars; a seat mounted on said beam; a rest or wall turnably mounted on said beam and having recesses engaging said upper bars when turned into vertical position; means to lock said rest in vertical position; and detachable feet, each comprising a horizontal rod, a vertical axle rotatably connecting said rod with one of said frames, and a wheel pivoted on said rod'a't a horizontal distance from said axle.

5. A baby Awalker comprising a central beam; f

two frames, each having two bars crossing the axis of said beam and being turnable Yaround said axis,v an upper bar connecting the upper ends of said crossingbars, and a` ledge connecting the lower ends of said crossing bars; a seat v mounted on said beam; a back and front rest,

into horizontal position, abutting and thereby axis of said beam and being turnable around said locking one of said restsl in vertical position; and detachable feet, each comprising a horizontal rod, a vertical axle rotatably connecting said rod with one of said frames, and a--wheel pivoted on said rod at a horizontal distance from said axle.

GEORGE F. BLAKE. 

